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Springfield Fair 1858

Did you win a prize at the fair this year? Below is a list of prizes that were awarded at the 1858 Southwest Agricultural Society Fair. This was the third year for the fair. Below this article is a brief description of what was going to happen at the Bolivar fair in 1859.

Springfield Advertiser July 6, 1858, page 3.

Third Annual Fair of the Southwest Agricultural Society.

"To be held in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, commencing on Monday, the 20th of September, 1858 [Amphitheatre at the Queen City Fairgrounds, image from the Springfield Democrat Souvenir edition, August 1894]

"All persons entering stock for the sweepstake premiums will be required to pay to the secretary at the time of entering, three dollars.

"Entries of stock and other articles for exhibition must be made to the secretary on or before the day previous to exhibition.

"Awarding committee-John Dade, R. W. Crawford, Joseph Farrier. The premium articles in the above class, except fowls, will be considered as contributions to the society and will be sold at auction on the evening of the day of exhibition."

[Note: this is a long advertisement and only a portion is reproduced here.]

The Weekly Bolivar Pilot
1 October 1859, page 2

"The public will bear in mind that on the 4th inst., (next Tuesday) the Polk county Agricultural and Mechanical Fair will commence operation at the Fair Ground near Bolivar. It will not only be the means of developing the agricultural, horticultural and stock growing resources of the county, as it will be held at the center of the county it will naturally bring here nearly every citizen of the county and besides there will be (as we are informed) a grand jollification attended with speeches lectures etc. touching on matters politically, intellectually etc. in a way that will contribute much to the prosperity of every branch of business and faculty. Don’t forget. "

[Note: The Springfield-Greene County Library does not own this microfilm but we can order it for you if you have a current library card with us.]